Rose of May
by AdvancedAlto
Summary: It's find hard to find your place, when you're neither human or Pokemon and when you're the adopted child of two of the most famous trainers w, she's following her parents' footsteps, making a name for herself. But destiny always has funny ways of showing itself. Her name is Shaymin Ketchum. Advanceshipping/Cavaliershipping/Alain x Korrina/Shaymin x Calem. CANCELLED
1. Chapter 1

**Hey there people. Welcome to my second story, _Rose of May_. This story is rather unique, taking some aspects that have been used before. I'll continue talking at the end, if you're interested, so enjoy! All credit to Leotumagic on Deviantart for the wonderful cover!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

 _'Catch me if you can!' The gratitude Pokemon shouted, running as fast her small legs could carry her. Obviously, the trainer didn't run very fast. Where would the fun be then?_

 _"Shaymin, give it a break!" May shouted at her happily, sitting in the soft grass while watching her husband chase her. They were still young, only having married 2 years ago, being in their mid twenties. But neither of them cared, they were happy with each other._

 _'Do I have to?' Shaymin whined, Ash being happy over the break. 'It was so much fun!'_

 _"Yeah, but I'm tired," Ash added, finally getting Shaymin to stop, letting her rest on his lap as he sat next to his wife. "Here's something for your effort in not getting caught my by me."_

 _'Tasty!' Shaymin exclaimed, happily eating away out of Ash's hand. It was a weird situation really. They had first met back in Sinnoh, many years ago. Then they had met again, now with May by his side. Originally they hadn't gotten along very well, which changed after their adventure. Two years later she somehow found him, she had been looking for him, and she was a lot more friendly and playful with him. 'Can we continue playing?'_

 _"Haven't we played enough for one day?" Ash asked, knowing he couldn't say no if Shaymin really tried to convince him, but he had to try._

 _'Alright.' Shaymin admitted defeat, jumping out of Ash's lap and instead jumping on May's lap._

 _"Don't do that!" May exclaimed, taken a little by surprise at the sudden weight in her lap. Starting to pet her, Shaymin cooed in joy over the treatment and slowly felt her eyes close._

 _"Finally, she's asleep." Ash sighed, relief in not having to chase her. It was fun, but rather exhausting when she had so much energy._

 _"Maybe you should let Pikachu do the work next time." May suggested, Pikachu grumbling in response. He clearly didn't like the idea._

 _"Nah, even though it is exhausting, it's more than worth to see this happy," Ash replied, thinking back to their first meeting. That was a weird adventure they had together. "Think we should take her back?"_

 _"We can't let her here, so I don't see another option." May really had nothing against it, being with Shaymin was always a joy._

 _"Let's go, Pikachu!" Ash called out to his starter, quickly catching up with trainer and jumping up on his shoulder, watching Shaymin. Her addition to their little group had surely changed their dynamic. From a rather calm group, Shaymin had brought in more energy than all three of them had combined. She was always happy, always wanting to play with them and never in any way being disrespectful or rude towards them._

 _"I'm going to fix something to eat for us, then we can go out and practice for the contest." May said, compared to Ash still competing actively in the contest circuit. Even though Ash wasn't competing, trainers still sought to battle him. He had became rather famous as the Kanto and Johto Champion, but decided to resign and hand it over to Lance. Instead he picked up the title of gym leader, and rebuilt the Viridian gym to his liking after it had been handled by temporary leaders and such._

 _"You know that I'm not that good at contest battles, and probably won't give you the practice you need." Ash tried to escape, having against contest battles but preferring to have real battles. At least he enjoyed watching her perform. Feeling movement in her lap, having placed Shaymin there after sitting down on a chair, May looked down at her little friend._

 _"Hey Shaymin, what do you say about watching me and Ash have a contest battle?"_

 _'Yes!' Shaymin couldn't be more excited, already having seen her fair share of battles between Ash and May. Preparing to head back outside, they were interrupted by the phone ringing._

 _"I'll take it," May put the phone to her ear. "May Ketchum."_

 _"I wonder what it's about." Ash said mostly to himself, both of them having gotten some interesting calls over the years._

 _"Alright, I'll be there tomorrow," May finished the call, before putting the phone. "They'll be holding a contest in Goldenrod tomorrow and they want me there."_

 _'Can I come with you?' Shaymin inquired, looking with begging eyes at Ash and May._

 _"I'm sorry Shaymin, but we can't let you come with us. You're a legendary Pokemon, that's not captured, and we are going to Johto's biggest city and attending a major event there. Do you know how many people would hunt you the moment the word of you being spotted spread?"_

 _"We'll try and come back as soon as possible, but we don't know when that'll be." May continued, not looking any happier than Shaymin, or Ash for that matter._

 _'Okay,' It was impossible to not hear the sadness in Shaymin's voice. But, her expression quickly changed, lighting up as idea entered her mind. 'I got to do something!'_

 _"That was fast." Ash didn't know that Shaymin's could change that quick._

 _"Well, I'm glad that she isn't that down about us leaving anymore," May really didn't see like seeing her like that. "You better pack, we're leaving in a few hours."_

 _"You're still not able to do that on your own?"_

 _"No."_

 _"Come on, I'll help you."_

 _"Shaymin, what's the hurry?" Arceus asked, sitting on his throne as he watched the little Pokemon run faster than he thought possible._

 _"I really need help, and you're the only who can help me." Shaymin nearly pleaded, knowing that her chances were slim. But she would nearly do anything for it to come true._

 _"Then tell me Shaymin, what is it you wish?" Arceus didn't know what to expect, it was rare for any of his legendaries to ask for his help. Watching Shaymin, Arceus knew that whatever she wanted to say was something she thought wouldn't please him._

 _"I want to become a human." Had he heard that correct? She wanted to become a human?!_

 _"Shaymin, are you sure that you want that? Why would you even want that?" Shaymin looked on the ground, slowly returning her eyes to look at him._

 _"I want to be part of a family." Shaymin admitted, looking a little embarrassed at her words._

 _"But why do you need to be human for that?" Arceus didn't exactly understand Shaymin's intentions yet, but he planned on finding out._

 _"Because I want to be part of Ash's family." Shaymin knew that her chances were pretty much nonexistent. Why should Arceus grant her the wish of being human so she could have a family?_

 _Arceus was speechless. Shaymin wanted to be human so she could live with his Chosen One. "Are you romantically interested in him?"_

 _"What?! No!" How could Arcues think that?! "I want to be his daughter!"_

 _"I have never heard any of the legendaries having a similar request, nor have I ever heard any Pokemon wish for something similar." Arceus knew that Shaymin would be heartbroken if he didn't her grant the wish, but could he really grant her the wish?_

 _"Please Arceus," Shaymin started to sob, not knowing what to do. She could continue being with Ash and May, but they would never be a real family. "My existence isn't even important, and there's another Shaymin out there!"_

 _"Shaymin," Arceus felt his resistance slowly fade away, knowing there was nothing with granting her wish. "I will grant you your wish._

 _"Thank you!"_

 _"But, it will not be permanent. Once time is up I'll let you decide if you want stay as a human, or if you want to turn back. Just in case," He would regret this, but by making it temporary unless she decided to permanently stay as a human he at least wouldn't blame himself if she regretted anything. "Now, step closer Shaymin. I'll warn you though. I have never done anything like this before, and I don't know all of the consequences. You might not be the same when you wake up next time. You might act different, feel different. You might not even remember anything of your time as a Pokemon."_

 _"I understand, and I will take that risk." Shaymin replied, having more courage than she thought she had._

 _"Well then. Prepare yourself," Arceus started to work his magic, Shaymin being covered in light as he started the transformation. "I wish you happiness Shaymin."_

 _"Thank you again." Shaymin's voice could be heard, though not longer the same as before. Focusing more energy into the transformation, Arceus finished it by teleporting Shaymin away._

 _"I hope you're ready for this, Chosen One."_

* * *

 _"Here, could you take this?" Ash asked, handing his bag over to May. "I'm heading to the ranch with Pikachu."_

 _"But don't stay too long, I'll start preparing lunch." May told him, giving him a soft kiss on the lips, leaving Ash and Pikachu alone as she entered the house._

 _"Let's see how everyone has been doing while we were gone." Ash said to Pikachu, as he started to walk towards Prof. Oak's lab. It was a wonder that he was still was able to continue his work, especially at his age. He probably would have to retire in a few years time and hand it completely over to Gary, who had taken more and more responsibility over the years when it came to the lab and research. "I wonder what May will be cooking for lunch."_

 _"Pi, kapi chu." Pikachu often didn't share the same opinion as Ash when it came to May's cooking. Ash loved it, while Pikachu couldn't say the same thing about it._

 _"It's not bad, it's just you who can't stand it." Ash defended May's cooking, enjoying it a lot actually. Knocking on the door, Ash waited for whoever was inside to let him in._

 _"Ah, you're back." Of course it had to be Gary Oak. Their relationship had grown even better over the years, from being good friends to being even better friends. And they still regularly competed against each other, with Gary having practiced again so he would at least stand a chance against Ash._

 _"I'm just here to visit everybody, and I'm on a leash." Ash regretted saying those words, a big grin appearing on Gary's face._

 _"I suppose she's preparing lunch?" Gary asked, enjoy the surprised look on Ash's face._

 _"How did you know?" Ash then remembered. Gary was married as well, so he probably often had the same experiences as he did. "Oh right, you're married to Dawn."_

 _"Come on in, your Pokemon have been rather excited for you to come back." Gary couldn't help but laugh, knowing how they liked to greet Ash._

 _"Don't remind me," Ash loved all of his Pokemon dearly, but it was always one thing to be run over every time he was gone for more than a few days. Leading the way outside, Ash and Pikachu followed through the back door as the sun shone down of them on this clear afternoon. Normally, they could hear the moment Ash sat foot on the ranch but now it was eerily quiet. "Something's off._

 _"Well, I still got work to do. so I'll leave that up to you." Gary said, leaving Ash alone as he headed back inside._

 _"Something's definitely off here, Pikachu," Ash told his starter, only spotting a few of his Pokemon grouped over something. "Hey, what're they doing?"_

 _Jumping off Ash's shoulder, Pikachu sprinted over to his friends, about to ask what was going on, until he spotted what had caught their attention. "Pikapi!"_

 _Walking over to his Pokemon, Ash blinked a few times to make sure he wasn't imagining things. It couldn't be her, could it? "Shaymin!"_

 _Slowly her eyes opened, revealing green eyes staring at Ash. "Ash?"_

 _Ash couldn't not believe. Sitting on the grass was Shaymin, not as a Pokemon, but as a teenage girl. "You're human. How?"_

 _"Arceus granted me my wish of being a human." Ash hadn't even registered that Shaymin was speaking his language and wasn't using telepathy anymore. Now that he looked at her, and took in everything in detail, Ash could clearly see the little Pokemon he had played with only a few days ago. The long green hair, the simple white dress and the two Gracideas in her hair._

 _"But why?" It struck Ash the moment the words left his mouth. How could he have not seen it earlier? The way she acted around him and May, the way she always said they were family. "Oh Shaymin. Is this so important to you?"_

 _"Yes," There was no doubt in Shaymin's voice, "Father."_

 _"F-Father?" Ash asked, trying to accept the fact that Shaymin wanted to be his child. He didn't even want to know how May would react about this. They obviously wanted to have a kid, but like this? Shaymin was everything they really wanted in a child, and May had suggested it once, but more as a joke than anything else._

 _"Can't I call you that?" Shaymin asked, her voice shaking slightly. Oh god, she was tearing up._

 _"No, it's alright," Ash took Shaymin's hand, shooing his other Pokemon away while Pikachu walked alongside him. "Come, let's go see May. She said she would fix something to eat and I don't see why she wouldn't let you eat with us."_

 _"I want to be a Pokemon trainer." Shaymin suddenly said, breaking the little they had while walking through the lab, thankfully not running into Gary along the way. Seeing her tear was already ridiculous, and now this? He would have a lot of work to do._

 _"I'll see what I can do." Ash didn't even bother arguing here, not without May's help. Sprinting down the stairs, Pikachu took up the role of making sure nothing happened while Ash took it at a slower place, thinking how to explain everything to May._

 _"Are you coming, Father?" It would take him a long time to get used to it. Increasing his pace, Ash reached the bottom of the stairs where a smiling Shaymin was waiting with Pikachu. "Let's go!"_

 _"Can't you help me?" Ash begged Pikachu, knowing he really need to improve in a lot of things if he wanted to keep up with Shaymin. Walking the rest of the way to the house in quiet, Ash pulled out his keys and unlocked the door as he let Shaymin and Pikachu inside, closing the door behind him._

 _"I'm in the kitchen!" May called, having started to cook, and not knowing what surprise would await her. Taking off his shoes, Shaymin having none, Ash walked through the living room into the kitchen, Pikachu on his shoulder again and Shaymin behind him. Hearing Ash, May turned around just as Ash stepped aside._

 _"Ash who-" May was flabbergasted, needing a moment to recognize the girl. "Shaymin?"_

 _"I can explain everything, May," Ash started, trying to choose the right words. "Shaymin had Arceus turn her into a human, just so she could be part of our family."_

 _"Part of our family?" May knew that the idea wasn't completely strange to her, but she had never thought it would end up like this. "You mean with us being your parents?"_

 _"Yes," Shaymin hesitated a little. Ash had accepted it with a little surprise, but maybe May wasn't as ready yet. "Mother."_

 _"I don't know that to say. Would you be okay with this?" May asked Ash, seemingly already embracing the idea._

 _"I would like it," Ash said, knowing the moment Shaymin had called him father that it was something he could live with. "You can decide."_

 _"Shaymin, I would love having you being a part of our family," May told her, a softness in her voice that even Ash heard rarely. "But don't expect it be perfect from the start. It will take a while for me and Ash to come to accept this new arrangement. And you calling us Mother and Father."_

 _Shaymin had never been happier in her life. "Thank you so much!"_

 _"Now, you will have to learn quite a lot if this is going to work out." Ash knew that Shaymin was aware of some things, but there was still quite a bit she didn't know._

 _"While we're at it, we should make it official that you're our daughter. On paper it will be seen as adopted." May continued, Shaymin not really worried about any of those things by the looks of it. "I don't think telling them that Shaymin is your name may be the brightest idea, so we'll change it to Shay. Now, come here."_

 _Taking her hand, Ash pulled her closer before all three of them embraced in a hug. "Pikachu, you're obviously part as well." Ash couldn't think having a family without Pikachu. Hearing Ash's words, Pikachu took his new found spot on Shaymin's head, getting out a small giggle from her. "Also, she wants to be a Pokemon trainer."_

* * *

"Dinner's ready!" May's voice rang across the ranch, three people enjoying the summer evening outside, slowly starting to move as dinner called.

"I wonder what they managed to prepare, considering May and Dawn are great cooks." Gary pondered, walking rather slowly across the rant towards the table placed right outside the laboratory.

"I hope they managed to keep Korrina away from the kitchen. I don't want to know what could happen." Alain shuddered at the thought, thankfully being able to cook himself.

"Heh, I don't think they would even let her get close," Ash said, knowing that May, and Dawn, could be very protective of some things. "Maybe they let her help them, without letting her do any actual cooking."

"Let's find out then, I'm starving." Alain decided, increasing pace and plopping down on one of the chairs. Taking their seats next to him, they waited patiently for their wives, or fiancée in Alain's case, to bring out the food.

"When are you going to marry?" Gary inquired, knowing that they were engaged, but neither had mentioned when, or where, their wedding would take place.

"We thought about having it in a month's time or so." Alain replied, smiles appearing on both of his friends' faces. Before they could continue their conversation, food was served.

Putting down plates and silverware, Korrina was always the more excited one of them. "Well, hello there boys." Korrina greeted them, Alain getting a kiss on the cheek from her. Even though she wasn't as collected as May or Dawn, she made up for it by being an amazing trainer. Not that May or Dawn were any worse, they still were some of the best coordinators out there.

"That looks delicious." Of course Ash would be the one to say that, being able to eat the same amount as two of them ate together.

"You surpassed my expectations once again." Gary complimented Dawn, in a completely different way than Ash had done it. Blushing at the compliment, Dawn gave Gary a soft hug from behind before walking around the table and sitting down next to May.

"So, how long are you two staying?" May asked, the question directed at Alain and Korrina.

Shooting her a quick glance, it was Alain who answered. "We thought about staying until a few days after the Indigo League is over, then we have to head back and start preparing for our wedding."

"Wedding? Congratulations!" Dawn exclaimed, neither Alain or Korrina having told them about their wedding. "When will it be held?"

"We planned on holding it a month after our return, giving us enough time to prepare everything. Obviously, you're more than welcome." Korrina told them, wearing a big smile as Alain puts an arm around her shoulders.

"Now, let's talk about you a little, or your daughter to be more specific," Alain decided, shifting the attention to Ash and May. "How has Shay been coming along?"

"Yeah, I'm actually interested. I haven't seen her since she left for her journey." Korrina continued, all of them knowing who Shaymin really was. But for them it was no problem, and they happily accepted her as Ash and May's daughter.

"We got a call from her a few days ago, saying she had made it past Victory Road safely." May said, everyone happy to hear that.

"Tell me Ash, considering you're invited as a gym leader, who do you think will have a good shot at making it into the top 4?" Alain asked, knowing that Ash liked looking up trainers if they caught his interest, and with him being the Viridian gym leader he met a lot of trainers who potentially have a good chance at making it far.

"I'm not going to spoil it for you, where would the fun be in that?" Ash laughed, knowing that Alain never looked up trainers, even though he had always been the calmer and more serious trainer of them. "I like to think that Shaymin will make top 8."

"That high on her first attempt? Aren't you a little biased?" Gary joked, even Ash chuckling at the joke.

"I don think so. I battled her not too long ago, and she managed to defeat me without using her ace. So far I know, she hasn't used it in any official battle yet." Ash replied, knowing what Shaymin's ace was.

"But you know." Gary stated, having been there when she got her starter. He had known that she had another Pokemon, simply because she was wearing its pokeball around her neck, as a necklace. "Well, we'll find out eventually."

"I actually know of a trainer, Calem, who said he was going to compete in the Indigo League," Alain told them, remembering to have met Calem on the plane to Kanto once. They had actually battled, and he had seemed like a decent trainer. "I think he has a chance at getting somewhere."

"I think I know who you're talking about. He showed a lot of promise during our battle, and his Pokemon were quite powerful," Ash said, trying to think if there was anything more about him. "With the experience of going through Victory Road, and the first few rounds I think he can finish top 16 or higher."

"Interesting. On the talk of Shay, do you think she's out looking for boys?" Gary asked. The silence was deafening, Ash looking he had some very bad intentions. "Ash, calm down. I'm sure Shaymin wouldn't let anyone get that close to unless she knew them really well."

"Ash, you shouldn't worry so much," Dawn added softly, trying calm Ash as best as she could. "She's 17 years old."

"You should have more trust in her," May assured him, standing up and placing a soft kiss on his cheek. "We've taught her everything she could, and she's more than capable of taking care of herself."

"You're right," Ash finally relented, another thought entering his mind. "How about heading to the Indigo League tomorrow and surprise her?"

* * *

"Look, there it is!" Shaymin exclaimed, pointing excitedly at the Indigo Plateau, her Pokemon following her hand with their eyes.

"I hope it was worth it." Feraligatr joked, their trip through Victory Road not being the most pleasant of trips.

"Don't make it sound like you didn't think it was interesting at all." Tropius said, one of her two calmer Pokemon, and also one of the few females in her party. Having recalled her other Pokemon, know they needed the rest, Shaymin walked along the road towards Indigo Plateau, and her chance at competing in the Indigo League.

"Come on, hurry up!" Shaymin shouted to her Pokemon, already sprinting up the stairs. Sadly for them, they were rather heavy and clearly not as fast as their trainer.

"Wanna see who's faster?" Feraligatr challenged, taking a step closer while waiting for Tropius to decide.

"You're on." Tropius replied, starting their race up the stairs. Watching, Shaymin couldn't say she wasn't amused by their antics. Since they had met, they always tried to beat each other through different means. Eventually reaching the top, Shaymin laughed at them before turning around and continuing her walk, her two Pokemon following closely.

"I'm going to recall you now. Then I'll let you rest." Shaymin said, both her Pokemon nodding in understanding before she recalled them. Taking the last steps, Shaymin entered the grand Indigo Plateau. Entering the massive hall, Shaymin made a straight beeline for Nurse Joy, who as usual was standing behind the counter.

"Hello. What can I do for you?" Nurse Joy asked politely, a kind smile on her face as she looked at Shaymin.

"I would like to heal up my Pokemon," Shaymin told Nurse Joy, handing her all six of her pokeballs, except her seventh which was still dangling around her neck. "Then I would also like to register for the Indigo League."

"Of course. I will need some form of id for that," Nurse Joy said, Shaymin pulling out her pokedex and handing it over. "A Ketchum? I didn't know our former champion had a kid."

"Can you please avoid mentioning that?" Shaymin asked, not wanting always to put together with her father. "I prefer not everyone knowing that I'm his daughter."

"No problem," Nurse Joy replied, giving Shaymin her pokedex before picking up her fully recovered Pokemon. "Good luck in the tournament."

Before Shaymin could thank her another trainer appeared. "Hey, have we met before?"

"I met you in Viridian, in the gym!" Shaymin remembered, the trainer wearing a red hat with sunglasses on it and a simple blue jacket with jeans, his black hair hanging down freely.

"I watched your battle, even though you seemed awfully friendly with the gym leader," How embarrassing! "You're a strong trainer."

"Thank you." Shaymin got out, her cheeks tinted a light red at the compliment. Nurse Joy thankfully interrupted before anything else could be said.

"I suppose you want to register for the Indigo League." Nurse Joy stated, saving Shaymin from the slightly awkward moment where she didn't know to say.

"I'll be seeing you." Shaymin got out, Nurse Joy waving something at her. Seeing that it was a key for a room, Shaymin took it, mouthing a 'thank you' to Nurse Joy. Heading in the direction where the rooms were, Shaymin changed her mind as she spotted a PC standing in a corner. She still needed to submit which Pokemon she would be using for the tournament. Placing each of her pokeball on it, even her necklace, Shaymin entered that she would be using all of them in the tournament. Seeing movement, she glanced to the side and spotted the trainer from earlier also submitting which Pokemon he would be using. Continuing the process, Shaymin kept shooting glances at him "Thanks for the praise."

"It was nothing," He replied, before looking up. "Especially considering how talented you are."

Shaymin couldn't stop herself from blushing, having to turn away so he wouldn't notice. Thankfully, he was rather indulged in the PC. "Thanks."

"What's your name?" He asked, looking at Shaymin.

"Shay." She had wanted to say her full name, but knew that it wasn't favorable for her if she did that.

"I'm Calem," Calem introduced himself, holding out his hand, accompanied by a smile. Looking at the hand, Shaymin took and smiled back. "So, are you from here?"

She could say Sinnoh, but that wouldn't be right. "Yeah, I'm from here."

"I'm from Kalos," Calem told her, looking like he thought back to how it was there.

"Kalos? I've never been there." Shaymin said, trying to remember what her father had told her about Kalos.

"It's a great place, but Kanto is amazing as well." Calem responded, glancing at his watch, turning his attention back to her. "I got to go. The opening ceremony starts in an hour, and I still need to make myself somewhat presentable."

"Oh, alright." Shaymin couldn't stop herself from sounding a little disappointed. She had met quite a few people, but she had a hard time connecting with them and forming any sort of bonds. It worked well with her Pokemon, and her family and their friends, but else it just didn't click for her.

"I'm sure we'll meet again, Shay." Calem said, smiling at her as he headed in the direction of the rooms.

"Maybe I should also head to my room." Shaymin thought about it, and decided that it was a good idea.

"Shay!" Shaymin would recognize the voice anywhere, catching the little girl running into her arms and spun her around.

"How's it going, Cecilia?" Shaymin tickled the blue-haired girl, earning a few giggles, eventually letting her run back to her parents. Standing across the hall were her parents, Dawn, Gary, Lily and their oldest daughter, Alina. She and Alina were rivals, Alina competing in contests and always trying to beat each other through different means.

"Come here dear." Her mother called, her father having an arm around her shoulders. Walking over to her parents, they hugged her tightly as she hugged them back.

"We're so proud of you." Ash wouldn't even have needed to say anything, Shaymin could clearly see, and feel, how proud he was of her.

"Hey champ!" Trying to peek around her father's shoulder, Shaymin spotted Alain and Korrina walking through the entrance. Sprinting over to them, Shaymin hugged Korrina and Alain. "It's great to see you. I'm expecting you to take this tournament by storm."

"Of course!" Shaymin assured him, shortly touching her necklace. Looking up at Alain, she got her hair ruffled, unable to escape because of Korrina's grip on her. "Stop it!"

"That's enough, Alain." Ash came to her rescue, Alain stopping to ruffle her hair and Korrina letting her go.

"So, are you excited for your first battle?" Gary asked, he and Dawn having been quiet so far.

"Sure am!" Shaymin replied confidently, pumping her first in the air.

"There's still an hour left, so how about we get something to eat?" Dawn asked, everyone agreeing to Dawn's suggestion. "Maybe we'll meet Brock along the way."

Before they could continue, a voice only Shaymin recognized spoke up. "Shay!"

"Shaymin, who is that?" Shaymin loved her father, but this one of his traits that could sometimes be annoying. He could be very protective.

"I can explain everything." Seeing her daughter, May knew how Ash could be sometimes and intervened in time.

"Ash, let's go. I'm sure Shay can handle herself," May calmed down her husband, placing a few soft kisses on his cheek. Feeling him relax, May guided him away, motioning for the others to follow. "Head to your room and prepare yourself. We'll see you at the ceremony."

"Shay, why are you still here?" Calem asked, looking at this watch. "There're only 45 minutes left."

"I met my parents." Shaymin answered his question, thinking what she wanted to do. She felt ready, and no need to take a shower or anything.

"How about we go for a walk before the ceremony?"

* * *

"Welcome trainers!" Lance boomed over the speaker system, the trainers cheering. "Today the Indigo League begins, with a grand total of 256 participants!"

"In order to raise the competition there will be an elimination stage, cutting down the amount of trainers to 64," Mr. Goodshow continued, having experienced a plethora of leagues, hosting them and even having taken part of them a long time ago. "We will hold 2 vs 2 battles, each of you taking part in two of those battles. With the elimination over, the real challenge begins and we will decide on the bracket. From there you will be facing 3 vs 3 battles, until we're down to the top 16. Today though, we have two honor guests here, who are going to deliver us a 1 on 1 battle in order to officially start off the tournament."

"My opponent will soon join me on the field, allowing himself a single battle before becoming a spectator, a spectacular trainer and worthy opponent. Let the games begin!"

* * *

 **Can you guess who Lance will be taking on? Of course you can. Now, to clarify some things. This obviously takes place after the anime, most characters averaging an age of late-twenties to early-thirties. There will be exceptions, but you should be able to know what they are when you see them. There will be 4 major shippings here, the focus being on Advanceshipping and Shaymin x Calem. Also, don't worry Advanceshippers, there will be a lot more moments in the coming chapters for you. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**It took a little longer than I had expected, but here it is, chapter 2 of _Rose of May_. I added some small Advanceshipping moments, but there will be more in future chapters. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

 _"It's hatching!" Shaymin exclaimed excitedly, sitting on the grass and watching her egg hatch. Her father had given it to her only a few weeks after her transformation, a gift to her from the Kalos Champion. Even though she once was a Pokemon, Shaymin really wasn't familiar with anything like an egg, considering she was created by Arceus._

 _"Make sure it only sees you, else it won't bond with you the way it should." May told her, standing behind her as she rested her head on Ash's shoulder. Slowly, the cracks on the egg grew bigger, revealing the new born Pokemon._

 _"A Ralts!" Shaymin was more than happy at seeing her first Pokemon. Approaching it cautiously, Shaymin started petting the Ralts' head carefully, making sure to not scare it._

 _"Are you my mommy?" Ralts asked, Shaymin looking down at it strangely. She could still understand Pokemon!_

 _"Yes, I am." Shaymin responded, her Ralts jumping into her open arms. Smiling at the sight, Ash and May stayed silent, deciding to wait before making themselves known again._

 _"What's your name?" Ralts asked, now clearly identified as a male by Shaymin. Should she tell him? He would eventually learn who she was anyway, so it didn't really matter._

 _"I'm Shaymin," Looking down, Shaymin remembered that she had some treats with her, given to her by her parents. "Would you like some of these?"_

 _Her new Pokemon carefully left her arms, hesitating a little as he started eating the treats._

 _"Oh, they're tasty!" She couldn't help but laugh at the words, having nearly said the same thing not a long time ago._

 _"They're getting along rather well." May pointed out, content to see her daughter interact with her first Pokemon. It had only been a few weeks, but there were no problems at all when it came down to being a family._

 _"I think having been a Pokemon helps a lot, and she seems to understand him perfectly." Ash added, only having such a bond with Pikachu. Speaking of Pikachu, he approached Shaymin and Ralts, catching their attention rather quickly._

 _"This is Pikachu." Shaymin introduced him to Ralts, both Pokemon closing the gap, inspecting each other._

 _"Are you a friend?" Ralts poked him a few times, Pikachu simply taking it. He had experienced this enough times, not being bothered by it. Instead of saying anything, Pikachu poked him with his tail instead, knocking Ralts over. Recovering rather fast, Pikachu repeated the same movement, but instead of getting knocked over, Ralts got a grip on his tail._

 _"Hey, let go!" Flinging him around a few times, Ralts gave up after another go at it._

 _"Shaymin, I think you will need this." Ash spoke up, holding a pokeball in his hand._

 _"Right!" Standing up, Shaymin took the pokeball from her father's hand and returned to Ralts. "How would you like having me as a trainer, exploring the world and growing stronger?"_

 _There wasn't any hesitation on the side of Ralts, who hit the button and got absorbed into the ball. Ash laughed at the sight, having seen it happen quite a few times during his career as a trainer, Pokemon entering a pokeball of their own will, and not forcing a trainer to capture them. "Well, he sure was eager."_

 _"How about we let them be? It's nearly time for lunch, and I had something special in mind to celebrate."_

 _"What exactly did you have in mind?"_

* * *

"I present to you, my opponent for this showmatch, Ash Ketchum!" Lance announced, Ash entering the stadium through one of the corridors, the crowd going wild at seeing their former champion. Most people didn't know that he was the Viridian gym leader, as he had convinced the league to remove any information on him. Only those who faced him in a battle for the badge would know who the gym leader was. Smiling, Ash looked at the crowd, waving at them. He had never disliked his support, but after a few years away from the spotlight, it was a welcome change. Walking over to his designated position, Ash watched Lance do the same. Lance had never officially claimed the title from him. He had beaten the Elite Four, which still was unchanged since then, but instead Ash had given him the title.

Signaling the crowd to calm down, Mr. Goodshow waited for a moment before speaking up.

"The rules are simple. This will be a 1 on 1 battle with no limitations, except a 2 minute timer. If both Pokemon are standing when time's up it will be a draw." He explained, show matches not being the most common thing. "Trainers, are you ready?"

"Yes." Ash and Lance responded, Lance holding a pokeball in his hand, Ash not needing one for the occasion. "It has been a long time since we had a battle, hasn't it?"

"Chupi, pi Pikapi." Pikachu declared, not having battled outside training for a very long time.

"You shouldn't be so confident. I'm pretty sure we'll be facing his Dragonite, and I've no doubt he has made sure he's in tiptop shape for this battle," Compared to Pikachu, Ash took their match a bit more serious. Yes, it was a showmatch. Yes, there were no implications nor was there anything on the line. But that didn't that mean Ash would simply let someone win. "Are you ready to give it your all?"

"Pika." Now Ash knew that Pikachu wasn't complacent, instead being like he had been during his battle for the title.

"Begin!" Mr. Goodshow shouted, Lance having called out his Dragonite.

"Well, he seems content doing nothing," Ash observed, waiting a few more seconds. Still no sign that Lance planned on calling out a move. "Quick Attack!"

"Extreme Speed!" Ash sighed in annoyance, watching Dragonite out speed Pikachu. Why did he have to know that move?

"Iron Tail!" If it would come down to who was stronger, adding every bit of extra power would help. Glancing up at the timer, Ash saw that 30 seconds had already passed. He would be hard pressed to score a win in 90 seconds. Both Pokemon connecting their attacks, Dragonite quickly shoved Pikachu away, who was sent crashing into the ground.

"Earthquake!" 60 seconds left.

"Dodge it, then use Electro Ball!" Ash countered. That's it! Now he had just needed to pray that the technique worked as well as last time. Jumping in the air, high enough to avoid taking any form of damage, Pikachu flipped and shot his attack at Dragonite.

"Block it with Dragon Claw!" 45 seconds left.

"Use your Thunder on yourself and then go for another Electro Ball!" Remembering the event long ago in Unova, Pikachu grinned as he charged himself.

30 seconds left. Lance didn't like how big that Electro Ball was getting. He had to do something. "Dragon Pulse!"

"Now!" Ash roared, Pikachu jumping in the air and releasing the overcharged attack. It quickly dwarfed the Dragon Pulse and had no problems overpowering it as it struck the baffled Dragonite.

"Time's up!" Mr. Goodshow announced, the crowd on their feet as they applauded for the battle.

"You did great," Ash said, Pikachu having returned to his shoulder. Even though he hadn't won, which would have been impossible unless he had planned out every one of his moves, he was still proud. He had gotten Dragonite down on his knees, in only 2 minutes. Lance was still talking to Dragonite, Mr. Goodshow telling the crowd that the first battle of the elimination round would take place in half an hour. "How about we find Shaymin and May before we watch the first battle?"

"Pikapi, chu pika." Pikachu responded, seeing no reason to not agree with his trainer. Nodding at Lance, Ash left the same way he came and started looking for his family.

"Did you see them up in the stands?" Ash tried to remember, he thought he had seen them before the battle had taken his full attention. "Whatever, it can't be that hard to find them."

"Daddy!" Managing to balance himself, Ash felt two arms around his waist as he somehow had completely missed Shaymin running straight at him. It wasn't the most usual thing either for her to call him 'daddy'. Hugging her back, Ash lifted her up and spun her around a few times before putting her back on the ground. "You were incredible!"

Smiling at the praise he received from his daughter, Ash patted her head lightly. "I'm happy you liked it, but this should be more about you than anyone else."

"I think I'm actually going to skip out on the first match," Shaymin told them, May standing behind her, much to their surprise. "I still need to get in some last minute practice."

A small grin appeared on Ash's face at her words. If Shaymin wouldn't be there, he saw no reason why he and May couldn't spend some time in their room, alone. Of course, he would never mention that in front of Shaymin. "We'll see you for your match then?"

"Yeah, I'll be there!" Shaymin called, already leaving them in the dust.

Smiling at the ever growing smaller form of his daughter, Ash turned his attention to May. Looking at her husband's face, May would recognize his expression anywhere. "How about we spend some quality time on our room?"

"You're serious, right?" May asked, not being given any time to react as Ash picked her up, flinging her over his shoulder as he walked back to their room

"Of course I am."

* * *

"Ice Fang!" Dashing forward, Feraligatr tried his best to score a hit on Tropius, but barely missed his target. Now, he was wide open to the incoming Razor Leaves. Taking the attack head on, Feraligatr stood through the pain and for the next move. "That's enough for now, let's take a break."

"I was just getting warm." Feraligatr declared, grinning at Tropius.

"In your dreams. If Shaymin hadn't called for a break I would have gotten in another hit." Tropius countered, their bickering continuing. Sighing, Shaymin called out her other Pokemon, most of them resting after their training.

"That are some impressive Pokemon you got there," A new voice stated, Shaymin and all of her Pokemon turning in the direction of the newcomer. He was wearing a very similar outfit to what her father had been wearing during his first years as a trainer. "You're Shaymin I suppose. You sure match the description perfectly."

Seemingly, he knew who she was but she had idea who he was. Somehow she felt like she had seen him before though. The outfit was nearly identical to her father's old one, a mew minor differences and a major focus on red. Something was nagging her, but she couldn't put a finger on what it was. "Who're you?"

"Ah yes, where are my manners? I suppose you won't be happy with a simple 'I'm a friend of your father'? Actually, if I don't meet him, could you thank him for me? He's done me more favors than I could probably count on one hand." He continued, avoiding her question but still telling her something. He knew his father, and they were great friends if his words were true. Her father had also done him a lot of favors.

She got more and more annoyed as she looked at him, something about him being oddly familiar. The color stood out to her, as if she had somehow seen the outfit before. He even looked like her father in quite a few ways, but also being older than her father. She got more frustrated for each passing second. Something about his outfit nagged her. No. No way. No frickin way. It couldn't be him. It shouldn't be possible. "Red?"

Grinning at her, Red chuckled a few times. Ash had told him that his daughter was rather bright, and he was surprised that she hadn't made the connection faster. Starting to laugh, Red couldn't stop himself from a remark. "It took you rather long to figure that out, even if I've to admit that most people would have needed a lot longer. But yes, I'm Red."

"But how? You've been missing for the last 12 years!" Shaymin pointed out, remembering the news about Red resigning as a Champion, seeing the old recordings her father had kept, and how many had believed he was dead. But here he was, a bit older than last time he had been seen, looking as alive as ever.

"I've to thank your father for that one," Red explained, remembering how he had been training on Mt. Silver before Ash had came up there and brought him back down. He would most likely still be on the mountain if it wasn't for Ash. "He actually came to me five years ago, and convinced me to leave that mountain and that I should eventually return. He even managed to find a place for me to stay for the last years, with your grandparents in Petalburg."

"You lived in Petalburg all these years, and no one found you?" Why hadn't her parents told her, or her grandparents when she visited them?

"I made sure only those who needed to know that I was there knew." Red answered, not wanting any sort of attention, at least not until he wanted it. It was only a fews ago, after some convincing from Ash that he decided to return, the best way to start being the Indigo League. Here he had first made a name for himself. "Originally I was looking for your father, but when I heard the sound of a battle I had to look. I can see why he's so proud of you."

"If you find my father, or mother for that matter, can you tell them I can't meet them before the battle? I still have to finish my training." Understanding, Red stretched a little before starting walk towards Indigo Plateau.

"You should be more confident in yourself. Your Pokemon trust you completely, but how can they really do that if their trainer doubts herself?" With those words, Red left her alone again, silence overcoming Shaymin and her Pokemon.

"I doubt myself?" Shaymin mumbled to herself, not sure what to make of Red's words. What did he mean when he said that she doubted herself? Shaking her head, she focused on her training again, calling her Pokemon to her.

"We all heard his words Shaymin, and he speaks the truth." Feraligatr started, all of her Pokemon agreeing. She lacked confidence, but in what sense? Wanting to ask her Pokemon, she got interrupted by her Ampharos, the most soft spoken of her Pokemon.

"You-you're an incredible trainer, b-but you don't believe in yourself and don't think the same way we do." Ampharos went on, staring at the ground as she was having a hard time voicing her thoughts. Sometimes the others forgot completely about her, and she didn't get to say anything.

Staring at her Ampharos, Shaymin didn't know what to say. All of them were right. Her father, and all of the gym leaders had praised her, and she knew her Pokemon also trusted in her, as much as she trusted them. "Thank you. Thank you believing in me when I didn't."

"We wouldn't be here without you, so it's the least we could do." Tropius spoke up, nudging Shaymin a little with his head. Patting him on the head, she playfully shoved it away and tried to ignore him.

"I think we got the point across," Gallade chuckled, everyone turning to him. "We're here to train, right? Let's do it then."

* * *

'How could I have forgotten?!' Glancing at her watch, Shaymin saw that she had only a few minutes until her match would begin. It wouldn't be a great start if she would lose her first match because she wasn't there. 'Gotta go faster!'

"Watch where you're going!" Someone shouted at her, Shaymin not bothering to apologize. Trying to find the right way to her side of the battlefield, and waiting room, she remembered that she would be on the red side. Reading one of the signs hanging down from above, Shaymin found the right way and started sprinting. Hearing the announcer, Shaymin knew that she had barely made it. Her opponent had probably looked up what Pokemon she had, and decided on a good strategy. She had no idea what Pokemon her opponent would be using, or who she would use. Next time she wouldn't be late.

"On the red side for our last match of the day will be a young trainer from Pallet Town, Shay Ketchum!" Taking that as her signal, Shaymin walked through the corridor and was greeted by the slowly setting sun. The mentioning of her name sent the crowd into a silence. Obviously no one expected a Ketchum to be competing in the tournament. Waiting for her opponent, Shaymin tried to determine who she would use. "On the green side, an experienced trainer from Johto, finishing top 16 in the Silver Conference last year, Maria Turley!"

"Trainers, it will be decided through a coin toss which side has to send out their Pokemon first," The referee explained, showing them the coin. "Green side, which side do you choose?"

"Tails." Maria responded, the referee tossing the coin. Letting it drop, he picked it up and showed them the result.

"Red side, send out your first Pokemon." The referee said, standing on the sidelines now, the two trainers having taken their places. Sadly for Shaymin, she hadn't won the coin toss, which meant she couldn't pick a Pokemon depending on what her opponent sent out.

Placing her hand on her pokeballs, Shaymin thought about who to use, and which choice would put her at the smallest disadvantage.

Putting her hand on Tropius' pokeball, she quickly changed her mind, taking Ampharos' pokeball instead. As much as she had a hard time talking to others, or socializing, she had no problems winning a battle and didn't hesitate a second on the battlefield. Smiling at thought, Shaymin really couldn't understand how it was possible for someone to be so completely different just because they were on the battlefield. Even during training she was the complete opposite, no hesitation in using her attacks. But as soon as it ended, she was a mess, unable to speak up and having a hard time talking to anyone. "Go, Ampharos!"

"An Ampharos, what an interesting choice," Maria stated, mirroring Shaymin's movements and placing her hands on her pokeballs, moving between them to decide which to pick. Not wanting to reveal any of her stronger Pokemon just yet, Maria went with a choice that could definitely pull her through. She knew to not underestimate Shaymin, even though it was her first league, she was related to Ash Ketchum. That could only mean that she wasn't a pushover, even if she had never participated in a league before. "Houndoom, to the field!"

"The first battle between Shay Ketchum and Maria Turley will commence. Begin!" The referee shouted, both Pokemon readying themselves for their trainers to give them an order.

"Houndoom, get close and use Flamethrower!" Maria ordered, her Houndoom leaping into action as it opened its mouth and unleashed the flames inside at Ampharos. Dodging without even being told to, Ampharos waited for Shaymin to tell her what to do. Noticing that Shaymin was thinking, Ampharos continued to dodge as she used a Thunderbolt in between if the opportunity presented itself. Slowly the Houndoom got closer, allowing Ampharos to strike it with an Iron Tail, backing off as it howled in pain. "Dark Pulse!"

Waiting until the last moment, Ampharos dodged again, Houndoom now recovering from the barrage of attacks it had used. That was their chance! "Focus Blast!"

"Dodge it!" Maria tried, Houndoom unable to fully dodge the incoming projectile as it struck its flank. Landing on the ground, Houndoom barely avoided the incoming Thunderbolt. Standing up, Houndoom jumped backwards as another Thunderbolt struck the ground, leaving a small crater. Both trainer and Pokemon knew that those Thunderbolts hurt, especially if they allowed the attack to hit multiple times. "Go for another Dark Pulse!"

Noticing that Ampharos had gotten rather close to Houndoom, dodging it could be very risky. "Stop it with Iron Tail!" Shaymin ordered, Ampharos charging up her tail as she smacked the Dark Pulse into the ground. "Focus Blast!"

"You're rather repetitive," Maria stated, her Houndoom dodging once again. Ampharos went back to using Thunderbolts, Houndoom continuing to dodge them. "Fire Blast!"

"Ampharos!" Shaymin shouted, Ampharos just having used another Thunderbolt, leaving her wide open to an attack. Getting hit by the blast, Ampharos was shot backwards, sliding over the ground. How could it come to this? She usually made sure that none of her Pokemon took such a hit. "No!"

"You're Ampharos is strong, but sadly that won't be enough to beat me," Maria said, her Houndoom waiting to make the finishing move. "I actually expected more from someone related to Ash Ketchum. Well, rather disappointing to lose in your first battle, isn't it? Finish it with Dark Pulse!"

It couldn't end here, could it? "No…" She hadn't even gotten a chance to make it past the elimination round. She had aimed for a top 16 finish at least! Noticing movement, Shaymin looked up and saw Ampharos stand at her full height, charging up her own Focus Blast as she used it as a sort of shield. "Ampharos?"

"A-Are you done already?" Ampharos asked, sliding back a little as the explosion caused between the two attacks pushed her back. Getting jumped on, Ampharos powered up her tail and endured as Houndoom bit down on it and threw him back with all of her strength. How could she have recovered how fast from the Fire Blast? "I won't give up, not so long you believe that we can still win!"

Shaymin had never heard Ampharos speaking that confident, dodging another Bite from Houndoom. Now she just needed a good plan to win it. Why couldn't it be raining? That would weaken Houndoom's power drastically, and increase Ampharos' power a lot. She couldn't believe she had forgotten. "Ampharos, use Rain Dance!" Doing as her trainer told her, Ampharos slowly summoned clouds as it started to rain. "Now, Thunder Wave!"

"No!" Maria couldn't believe it. Why couldn't that Ampharos have been beaten?! She had to admit that it was quite a feat to not have given up already, and actually keep going. Somehow she hadn't given up yet. "Keep using Dark Pulse until it goes down!"

"Use Thunder while it still rains and it's slowed down!" Ampharos didn't hesitate in following Shaymin's wish, gathering the energy as she called upon her own element. The impact was terrifying, the power increased through the rain and Houndoom slowed down through the Thunder Wave. Maybe she could actually save Ampharos, and save her so she would have enough energy to fight later on if needed. "Volt Switch!"

Why would she switch out now? Her Ampharos could simply finish off Houndoom, or she planned on saving it for later. "So, what's the point? It's not like your Ampharos will save you if you lose your next Pokemon!"

She wouldn't use Gallade, and Feraligatr wouldn't stand a chance if she had a grass or electric-type. Tropius would be an option, but if she another fire-type it would be looking bad for her. She really should have looked up her opponent's Pokemon. "Screw it," People would find out eventually how powerful her Gallade was anyway. Playing safe wouldn't help her either, especially if being on the brink of losing. "Go, Gallade!"

"A Gallade? Do you think that will save you?" Maria asked, knowing that her Gallade wasn't a pushover. Sadly, she didn't have any Pokemon that would especially strong against it. "Try to hit it with Bite!"

She didn't even hide that she was simply trying to weaken Gallade, and probably gauge his strength. "I actually didn't expect you to use me this early."

"I hadn't planned on using you either, but I guess I can show everyone that I'm not a pushover," Shaymin replied, Gallade simply sidestepping Houndoom's attempt. Trying again, Gallade shoved it away this time. "Close Combat!"

"With pleasure!" Dashing forward, Gallade started executing the move as he slashed, kicked and punched the already weakened Houndoom. He didn't use half of the actual attack before he stopped, Houndoom lying on the ground, fainted.

"The first win goes to Shay Ketchum!" The referee announced, holding a flag in my direction. "Red side, send out your last Pokemon."

If she was facing a heavy hitter, why not do the same? Taking the ball from her belt, Maria looked it one more tim before she threw it in the air. "Kingler!"

"Gallade vs Kingler. Begin!" On their own, both Pokemon started circling each other, fully aware that there would never any sort of distance between them and that it would always come down to raw strength and skill. With neither having any real way of staying at range, it was even more important for the trainer to not make any mistake, as they could quickly be punished.

Both trainers judged the opposition's Pokemon, thinking of what their first move should be, and what possible move would be used against them. Deciding she had waited long enough, Maria made her move. "Crabhammer!"

Shaymin waited, thinking about going on the offensive herself. "Protect!" Conjuring the shield, there was nothing Kingler could do as its claw collided with the shield. Staggering backwards, Shaymin took her chance. "Zen Headbutt!"

Maria winced as Kingler got hit, the force behind the attack pushing backwards. "Power up with Hone Claws!"

"You too Gallade, Sword Dance!" Shaymin mimicked Maria, both Pokemon powering up as they anticipated their next move. Seeing that Kingler wasn't the fastest Pokemon, slowing it down or even stopping it completely could give her a huge advantage. "Thunder Wave!"

This had to be a joke, right? Annoyed was an understatement to describe how Maria was feeling as she watched Kingler get struck by the bolts, which slowed him down and could paralyze him, stopping his movement completely. "Try to counter it with Agility!" Following his trainer's order, Kingler disappearing and appearing multiple times, quickly closing the gap between himself and Gallade. "Super Power!"

"Teleport!" Gasping, Maria watched as Gallade teleported away, Kingler's attack only hitting air as he had become baffled. "Psycho Cut!"

"Kingler, dodge it!" It didn't matter, as Kingler didn't know how he should dodge as he didn't know where the attack was coming from. Unable to dodge, multiple crescent blades stuck him from above, grunting in pain.

"Finish it with Close Combat!" Shaymin shouted, not giving Maria any chance to come up with a plan. Dashing towards Kinger, Gallade started slicing, kicking and punching, like it had done with Houndoom. This time though, he didn't stop until he had finished the attack.

"Kingler is unable to battle! The winner is Shay Ketchum!" The referee declared, the crowd cheering after an intense battle. From losing, Shaymin turned it around and finished with dominant performance, leaving multiple spectators, and Maria, shocked.

"How did I lose?" Maria asked herself, being completely confident that should have won. She was in control at the start, until her opponent someone managed to flip the switch and dismantle her. That Gallade hadn't helped her cause either, overpowering her Kingler rather easily. Walking across the field, Maria met Shaymin in the middle as she held out her hand.

Looking down for a second, Shaymin shook Maria's hand and smiled at her. "That was a great battle."

"It was," Maria replied, chuckling a little. It had been a great battle, once she had expected to win. "I've to admit that I'm that you won. I thought I had it in the bag. Whatever, I'm out. I will stay though, watching you. After all, I can't let someone beat me and then bail out shortly after."

"I will try my best." With those words, the trainers turned around and walked towards the exits, leaving the same corridors they had entered. Exiting the corridor, Shaymin was greeted by a large group. A group she called her family. "Father, Mother!"

"Shaymin, that was incredible!" May exclaimed, hugging her daughter tightly. She couldn't be more proud of her. Hugging both of them, Ash smiled happily and probably even prouder than May. Gary, Dawn, their kids, Alain and Korinna all watched as the Ketchum family embraced each other. Alain and Gary were both impressed at Shaymin's win, not sure if she could win after getting beaten on by that Houndoom. "How about you head back to you room and rest a little? Then we can eat dinner together and you can tell us a little more the battle."

Nodding at the idea, Shaymin smiled at her parents. "Alright," Walking towards her room, she turned around one more time. "I'll see you later."

"Hey Shay!" Smiling, she tried to spot where the voice of her new friend was coming from.

"Hi Calem." Shaymin greeted him, noticing that he looked rather excited. "Did you watch my battle?"

"Yeah, and I got to say that it was really good." Calem told her, Shaymin feeling a little proud that Calem thought that. "So, what are you doing?"

"I planned on resting a little, then I'm going to have dinner with my parents and some friends," An idea popped into her head, hesitant if she should voice it. "Would you like to come with me?"

Looking at her surprised, Calem wasn't sure exactly what she meant. "To your room?"

"Eh, well, I more thought about you coming with me to dinner." Maybe that wasn't such a good idea, considering her Father was very protective.

"Are you sure about that?" Calem asked, Shaymin nodding in reply.

"But first we're going to my room." Shaymin said, leading Calem to her room.

* * *

 **Ugh, writing that battle took me forever. I wanted to make it interesting, but also not use too many of my ideas. Something to note is, I won't be writing every single battle. I'll talk more about that next chapter. I also tried to give Shaymin's Pokemon some unique personalities. Hopefully they came across. Hope you enjoyed the read, until next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ugh. I've been sitting on this for over two weeks, and it still ended up so short. Meh. With it finished I'll take a break for one or two days, then start working on chapter 4, which will contain the first 6 on 6 battle, or a part of it. There's a minor time jump between the end of chapter 2 and the start of this, after the flashback. Hope you enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.**

* * *

 _"Lady Shaymin." Tropius called, his trainer glaring at him. Why did he have to be so stubborn? She had tried to explain it to him, but seemingly it didn't get through to him._

 _"Haven't I told you to simply call me Shaymin?" Shaymin asked annoyed, Tropius staring down at the ground. "I'm nothing special. I'm just your trainer, and I don't want to be treated any differently."_

 _"Is that so hard to understand, grass head?" Croconaw taunted, Tropius growling in response. Why couldn't get get along? It wasn't like they hated each other. but they always tried to be the best, always arguing with each other over trivial things._

 _Losing her patience was something that rarely happened to her, but when it came to those two, it was hard to not lose your patience. "Can you two just shut up?" Shaymin demanded, both of her Pokemon looking rather surprised at her. "What's your problem, huh? Unable to not act like some kids?"_

 _"She's right," Kirlia spoke up, probably being the calmest of the bunch. He often was the one who stopped them from actually doing anything stupid. "Why can't you just be nice to each other? It's not that hard."_

 _Her Mareep, the newest addition to the team, looked like she really wanted to say something. "J-Just because you want to prove yourself to be better doesn't m-mean you have to insult each other."_

 _"I couldn't have said it better. You can compete all you want, but keep it at that," Shaymin said, both Pokemon looking at the ground in shame. "Hopefully I got the point across. Also, please don't call me 'Lady Shaymin', Tropius. I'm your trainer, nothing more and nothing less."_

 _Accepting it, Tropius turned his attention to Croconaw. "How about we have a battle? Shaymin can help you to make it more fair."_

 _Laughing a little, Croconaw could only agree. "Fine with me. How about you, Shaymin?"_

 _Shaking her head, Shaymin admitted defeat. If this would help them getting along better she would do it. "Alright, but I don't want you to go all out. This is just for fun, and not a real battle that must be won."_

 _"Got it!" Croconaw exclaimed, taking his place at Shaymin's side, Tropius standing on the opposite end of the clearing they were resting in. "This is gonna be great. I can't lose with Shaymin on my side!"_

 _"I don't think so!" Tropius responded, chuckling at Croconaw's words. "Even with Shaymin on your side you'll lose."_

 _Sighing, Shaymin couldn't believe she had agreed to this. And why couldn't her Pokemon get along? She loved them all, but there was no doubt that they were a weird bunch. She had her loyal starter, Kirlia, her newest addition and somewhat shy Mareep, her somewhat thickheaded Tropius and finally Croconaw, probably the most laid back in their group. How did they all get along again? "I'm slowly regretting this."_

 _"Aww, come on," Croconaw whined, slumping over a little. "Why can't we have some fun?"_

 _"Heh, I didn't say I wouldn't do it," Shaymin added, Croconaw cheering, Tropius also looking a little happier at the prospect. "How about you you, wanna watch?"_

 _Obviously, they could watch, or do something else. But why should they, especially when there was first class entertainment available? Walking to the sidelines, Kirlia and Mareep relaxed as they waited for the battle to begin. "What else would we doing?"_

 _Giggling at Kirlia's words, or whatever Pokemon do, Mareep relaxed as she waited for the battle to begin. She had'nt been with for very long so she hadn't seen very many battles yet. "A-Are you going to start anytime soon?"_

* * *

"We did it!" Shaymin cheered, hugging Ampharos as tightly as she could, nearly jumping up and down in joy. It had been an uphill battle, getting through the elimination round without a lot of trouble. But there was a reason why it was called the elimination round. With the elimination rounds over, she had gotten into the top 64. Now she was in the top 8! Recalling Ampharos, Shaymin shook her opponents hand before she ran towards the exit, straight into the arms of her father.

Catching her, with no effort, Ash spun her around multiple times, eventually setting her back down. Patting her on the head, Ash laughed at Shaymin's reaction. She had performed beyond his wildest expectations, achieving what he had done in his third league in her first. She really was an amazing trainer. "Do you know how proud I'm of you, sweetie?"

Shaking her head, Shaymin wasn't prepared for her father to hug her, rather tight. Trying to escape his grasp, which turned out be pointless, she accepted defeat and rested her head on her father's chest. One thing she had done throughout the league was to not show of all her Pokemon. Between Gallade, Ampharos, Tropius and Feraligatr she had no trouble only winning with them. Which was lucky for her, meaning her next opponent, and those who would follow if she won, would have a harder time preparing, not knowing how strong her remaining Pokemon would be. Managing to finally escape, Shaymin looked up at her father, the pride unmistakable. "Yes."

Looking for another second, the moment was interrupted by a new voice. One that had grown rather attached to Shaymin over the tournament. "Shaymin!"

Leaning to side, Shaymin spotted Calem running towards them, a big smile on his face. He was obviously proud as well of her, having cheered her on from the stands during each of her battles, as she had done the same for him. Meeting hm halfway, they embraced in a hug, but got interrupted rather quickly by a cough from her father. Separating as quickly as they could, both teens blushed heavily as everyone watching laughed at their expression. Even Ash, who hadn't been very trusting of Calem, had slowly warmed up to him. It had taken a while though. Shaymin, who was still blushing, stared at the ground before she looked up. "So, what do we do now?"

"Well, considering it's such great weather, how about we spend the remaining time outside until dinner?" Gary suggested, getting everyone's attention. Nodding in agreement, they all started to walk through the corridor into the main hall, meeting someone none of them had expected.

"Is there a place for me as well?" Red asked, laughing heartily at their expressions. "Oh right, I haven't introduced myself properly to most of you. I'm Red."

"I didn't think I would see you here," Ash greeted him, placing an arm around his shoulder as the two friends laughed. "Let's go."

Looking like he remembered something, Red started digging through his pockets, a grin on his face as he continued to search for something. Pulling out whatever he had been looking for, Red turned his attention to Shaymin. "I think I got something for you," Red couldn't help himself from chuckling as Shaymin looked at him with big eyes. "See it as a reward for doing so well."

"That's a keystone!" Shaymin exclaimed, carefully taking it from Red's hand. The keystone had been put together with a necklace, shining brightly as the sun light bounced on it. Excited was an understatement when it came to describing what she was feeling right now. But, a keystone alone wouldn't do her any good. She would need a Megastone in order to utilize the keystone. Maybe she would go and search for one after she was done with Indigo League. But for which of her Pokemon should she get one? Gallade, Ampharos or someone else? Probably Gallade, considering he was her strongest and most trusted Pokemon. She couldn't even imagine what he could do with the increase in power he would receive! Trying to imagine, Shaymin was interrupted by Red, holding something in his hand. "Huh?"

She was a genius when it came to Pokemon, there being no doubt in Red's mind, but similar to her father she wasn't the amazing at anything outside Pokemon. He had been thinking about which stone to get her, but after seeing her Gallade, Red knew that there only was one real option. Not saying anything, Red let Shaymin watch the stone in his hand, waiting until she understood what it was. "What good would a keystone do without a Mega Stone to use it with? I took myself the liberty and put it in a simple bracelet, making ti easy to wear."

"But that's a Galladite!" Many Mega Stones were more common, Galladites not being among them. One could only wonder how Red had gotten his hand on one. With it Gallade would be incredibly powerful, and more than able to help her win her next match. But she couldn't accept it. "I can't accept it. I've done nothing to earn it."

"As humble as your father I see," Red sighed. Why couldn't she simply take it and be happy? "But you've done more than enough to earn it. How about you win the league? See it as a sort of payment."

"Alright. I'll try my best to win the league!" Everyone could see the joy in Shaymin's eyes as she carefully held the Galladite, the necklace already around her neck. Taking Gallade's pokeball from her belt, she threw it in the air and released her starter. "Gallade, look at what I got!"

"A Galladite?" Gallade asked surprised, looking at it carefully. Taking it from Shaymin, Gallade managed to fit it on his arm, a perfect fit.

"He seems rather excited about it," Red stated, already having a great idea form in his head. "How about we have a little battle to test what he can do with his newfound power?"

"A battle?" Very few had ever gotten the chance to battle Red, and Shaymin wasn't going to miss her chance. Plus she could boast to people that she had met and battled Red. Few could say that. "Can anyone take on the role of referee?"

"I'll do it." Ash said, everyone walking to the sidelines as he took his spot. He had to admit that he was actually interested in seeing the battle, not having battled Red in quite some time and wanting to see how powerful Gallade would get after his Mega Evolution. He was still slightly worried though. If Red wanted to he could probably utterly destroy Shaymin and Gallade, especially if he used Pikachu or Charizard, who was wearing a Charizardite Y. Not needing to see say anything, Gallade took his spot in front of Shaymin as everyone waited for Red to send out his Pokemon.

"Charizard, to the skies!" Out of the pokeball came Red's Charizard, roaring as he was released. Spotting his opponent, Charizard glared at Gallade, some sort of challenge going on between them.

Trying to judge the outcome of the battle, Ash gave Charizard the edge. Against a Mega Evolved Gallade it should be an interesting battle, unless Red decided to use Charizard's as well. Then, he also had to take in consideration if Red would use some of his more interesting strategies, or use simple ones. "Are both trainers ready?" Ash asked, Shaymin and Red nodding in response. "Begin!"

There was no verbal command, the two stones reacting to each other as Gallade started to evolve. He surely looked majestic, having grown something like a cape. "I don't want you to hold back."

"You're serious, aren't you?" Red had thought he had heard wrong, but her serious look left no doubt. Did she really think she would stand a chance against him and Charizard? Sure, he was a bit rusty and hadn't battled for quite some time, but that didn't mean he had lost any of his skill. If he would be facing Ash it could pose a problem, but against a rookie trainer like Shaymin, if compared to him, it wouldn't be a problem. "Be my guest. But there's no going back."

Like Gallade, Red said nothing as the two stones reacted to each other and Charizard evolved. The spikes over his body grew, giving him a more impressive look, similar to Gallade. Shaymin had been confident in her choice, but in the face of the Mega Evolved Charizard, a little bit of doubt started to hit her. She wouldn't back out, not with everyone watching. At least there weren't any expectations on her, considering who she was about to face. Sighing, Shaymin prepared herself for the beating she and Gallade were about to get. "Zen Headbutt!" Dashing forward, Gallade's head was glowing as he charged up his attack. Landing on the ground for a split second, Gallade pushed himself off the ground to further increase his speed. Red simply stood there, Charizard flapping his wings in order to keep himself above the ground. It looked like Charizard would do nothing, before Red made his move.

"Flamethrower!" Red shouted, in an instant scorching flames were leaving Charizard's mouth as they struck Gallade. Not letting that stop him, Gallade still managed to push through and connect his attack. Roaring in pain, Charizard was knocked back slightly by the Zen Headbutt, but recovering quickly. "Not bad, but not good enough! Fire Blast!"

"Dodge it, then use Thunder Wave!" Shaymin countered, Gallade barely dodging the Fire Blast, using Thunder Wave. Hitting his target, Gallade landed on the ground, regaining his breath.

"Shrug it off, then use Wing Attack!" Without much effort, Charizard dashed forward, his wings glowing white. Right before Charizard could connect his attack, a barrier surrounded Gallade, striking Charizard. "Huh. That's an interesting way of doing it I suppose."

"Close Combat!" Using the opening presented, Gallade started beating Charizard with multiple punches and kicks, none weaker than the previous. Even for an en experienced Pokemon like Charizard, it looked to be a rather painful experience. After a plethora of attacks, Charizard was standing on the ground panting. But Shaymin wasn't one to give him a chance to recover. "Zen Headbutt!"

"Block it, then use Dragon Breath!" Folding his wings, Charizard managed to stop the attack, before opening his wings and throwing Gallade backwards. Opening his maw, the blue breath struck Gallade hard, hitting the ground. "Now, Slash!"

"Dodge it!" Shaymin shouted, Gallade rolling to the side as Charizard tried to hit him with his claw. Before Shaymin could react, Charizard attacked Gallade again, this time though he couldn't dodge the attack. "Sword Dance!"

"Don't him power up! Dragon Claw!" This time, Gallade was prepared, dodging the attack, and also evading Charizard's second attempt. Shaymin knew that Gallade was exhausted, already having taken a few hits. Considering how much more experience Charizard had, there was simply no way they could win by stalling. Giving up wasn't an option either, but winning was probably rather far fetched. Studying the Charizard carefully, Shaymin tried to spot any sort of weakness that she could use. But, could she even use them? Gallade was strong. Red's Charizard was on a completely different level though.

"Use Stone Edge!" Shaymin shouted, Gallade quickly using the chance. Not reacting fast enough, Charizard was struck by the attack, roaring in pain. Even a strong Pokemon like Charizard had a hard time taking an attack like Stone Edge. It was a risk, but one she would take. "Teleport on top of Charizard!"

"What?!" Red was surprised to say the least, seeing Gallade appearing on the back of Charizard. He didn't need to be told that the passenger was unwanted, already doing everything he could to throw Gallade off his back. Which turned out to be quite hard.

"Zen Headbutt!" Pulling back his head, Gallade struck Charizard with everything he got, the attempts to throw Gallade off his back increasing. Spinning around, Charizard's attempts were in vain as Gallade simply didn't let go. "Close Combat!"

"Not again," Red mumbled, Gallade using his legs to hold himself in place before he started beating on Charizard again. He had expected a rather easy win. Instead he got a bigger challenge than he had expected, his Charizard not having battled like this in a long time. At this rate Shaymin would be a top trainer by the time she approached her second league, and could probably win this one as well. He wouldn't lose, even if the battle extended even further, but there was no point in letting Charizard keep getting beat on. First of all, Gallade had to be removed if they wanted to finish it. "Throw him off!"

"Hold on tight!" Shaymin tried her best, but this time Charizard managed to throw Gallade of his back.

But instead of letting him hit the ground, Charizard caught his opponent again to everyone's surprise. "It was fun while it lasted, but it ends here."

"Gallade, use Zen Headbutt!" Doing what he was told, Gallade succeeded but Charizard didn't weaken his grip the least. It was obvious that the attack hurt him, but he continued holding Gallade tight, starting to fly higher and higher. Even without her telling to, Gallade kept trying, over and over again. Charizard grunted multiple times, but still didn't stop his ascent.

"Flaming Seismic Toss!" Red shouted, his Charizard increasing the speed at which ascended even further. Shaymin looked on baffled, as did everyone besides Ash, Gary and Alain, not knowing what to expect. It was clear that it was a variation of Seismic Toss, but in what way? Reaching his maximum height, Charizard turned around and started to descend at a rapidly increasing speed. Instead of simply descending, Charizard opening his maw and surrounded both Pokemon in flames as he started spinning. It was a break taking display, albeit a painful one for Gallade, having to bear the intense heat, as Charizard let him go right before they hit the ground. Smoke surrounded the spot were Gallade had hit the ground, Charizard flying back to his trainer's side, slowly landing on the ground. He deserved to rest after such a battle. "Good job, Charizard."

With the dust settled, everyone could clearly see the result of the battle. A fainted Gallade.

"Gallade is unable to battle. The winner is Red!" Ash declared, the result being fairly obvious. It had been an intense battle, something all of them could agree on and Shaymin had put up more of a fight than any of them had expected. Shaymin carefully walked up to her Pokemon, not having fainted by the looks of it as she said something to her Pokemon, a smile on her face as she recalled him. By the looks of it, Gallade had said something which made her smile grow even bigger. Having once been a Pokemon certainly was a gift, allowing her to understand everything a Pokemon said. Expecting her to say something, it was Red instead who spoke up.

"You're sure you're a rookie trainer, right?" Red asked, getting some laughs out of everyone, Shaymin joining in as well. Red had held back, knowing there would have been no purpose if he didn't, but not by that much. "Because for a rookie trainer that was most impressive."

Shaymin couldn't help as her cheeks became a little pink at the praise she received from the most renowned trainer of their time. She mostly ignored the other praise she received, only really hearing her parent's praise, until someone put a hand on her shoulder. Shaymin nearly squeaked as she saw that it was Calem. Over the course of the tournament they had become good friends, knowing that they would eventually meet each other on the battlefield unless one of them dropped out early, something neither of them planned on doing any time soon.

"You know the battle is over, there's no reason to be so tense anymore." Calem said, knowing that he spoke the truth she tried to relax a little under his careful watch. Their friendship had a somewhat bumpy start, mostly because her father was very protective. Thankfully it only took him a day to warm up to Calem, which saved Calem, and her, a lot of trouble. What annoyed her the most though was his smile. She just didn't know what to do. His touch was even worse, and she barely restrained herself from groaning this time. She would have to talk to her mother later if she an answer to why she felt like that every time.

"Thanks," I replied, avoiding to look at him before walking up to Red. I had to admit that I was happy that he didn't as I said and went all out. Even though it seemed like he didn't really hold back. "Thanks for the great battle."

"You're thanking me?" Red laughed heartily, a most enjoyable sound, his laugh sounding over their resting place. It took him a while to stop, but when he did his expression turned serious, still staying soft though. "I should be the one thanking you. It has been more than a year since I battled last time, and I didn't even expect anything from this. I was rather surprised as I found out that you wouldn't go down so easily."

"Oh." Shaymin didn't know what to respond to that, scratching her head as she tried to come up with something. What do you say when you're praised by someone like Red? She personally wasn't that satisfied with the battle, and thought there were a lot of things she could improve on.

"If you win this league, and your next one as well you can give me a call and we can have a 6 on 6 battle," Red told her. It was rare that he challenged people, during the time when he still was active, and for him to give Shaymin the chance to face him a full battle was somewhat of a shock. "Going by your expression I guess you will ask if I'm going to stay here. No, but I'll back for the finals. And yes, I'm confident you will make it."

With that Red left them, a last wave before he disappeared from their sight. He sure was someone Shaymin wouldn't forget that easily. "Do you think your parents would object if we escaped for a moment?"

Shaymin couldn't stop herself from shivering, Calem being quite close to her. It was far from a bad feeling, but she still couldn't a finger on why it made her feel that way. It sounded like a tempting offer, but first she needed to talk to her mother. Maybe she could help her before it started to nag her even more. "I'll think about it. Gotta speak with my mother first though."

* * *

"So what did you want to talk about?" May asked her daughter, conversations like these not being a common thing. She was actually shocked as her daughter came up to her and took her aside.

"I hoped you could tell me what I am feeling." Shaymin knew that she was rather vague, trying to gauge how her mother would react.

"You're going to have to be more specific, dear." May said, having an idea what Shaymin was talking about. There was no fun though in saying that. It would be much more fun to watch her daughter understand what she was feeling. A frown appeared on her daughter's face, a clear indicator that she was thinking. It was a cute expression, and May was sure that she wasn't the only one with that opinion.

"I get these weird feelings when I'm with Calem." May knew that Shaymin had a hard time saying that, being proud of her daughter for managing. It was clear to her that Shaymin had caught Calem's interest. Now she just had to wait for them to get together, and for Shaymin to be more willing to make a move. Calem would probably not make a move on his own, unless Shaymin showed the same interest he did.

"I think I know what you're feeling, but that is something you should find out for yourself. If I told you it would ruin all the fun you will have doing it."

"Mother!" Shaymin whined, another rare occurrence and something that Shaymin practically never did. May had a hard time not spelling it out for her daughter, requiring some self control to not do it. She was so adorable like that! "If you won't tell me I'll find it out myself."

"You do that," May responded smiling, patting her daughter on the head. "Just tell me when you do."

"Alright. I'll be going with Calem then." Shaymin said, giving her mother a quick hug before she decided to return to Calem's side and go wherever he wanted. She was actually interested in what he had in mind, as he usually never had any problems being with her parents and the others.

"Have fun!"

* * *

"So why exactly are we here again?" Shaymin asked, curiously looking around. It was a rather serene, and secluded, spot that Calem had chosen. She could hear the birds sing, the wind for the most part not reaching them, which made it rather quiet.

"Is it wrong if I simply want to spend some time with you, alone?" Calem asked back, getting a glare from Shaymin. "It's the truth."

Shaymin felt her beating a little at Calem's words. It was nice of him to go out of his way for this. But Shaymin couldn't stop herself from teasing him a little."Maybe you just want to study me and my Pokemon as much as possible so you have the better chances at beating me when we meet during the league."

"I actually looked up the bracket," Calem told her, a small smile on his face. "We're on the opposite ends of it, meaning we will first meet in the finals. If we get there."

"Of course we will get there!" There was no doubt in Shaymin's mind, and she wanted it no other way either. She took Calem's hand in her own hands and gave it a tight. She couldn't stop herself from blushing, and saw that Calem hadn't managed very well either. "I want you to get there."

Calem looked at her surprised, his cheeks having turned pink and that smile that Shaymin couldn't resist on his face. "Really?"

"Really." Shaymin replied, still holding Calem's hand as they laughed together. Tomorrow the quarterfinals began, but Shaymin especially worried. So long Calem was there she knew that she could win.

* * *

 **I don't know. I feel that what I wrote is decent, but I'm not satisfied with the length. I hope next chapter will make up for it. Also, thanks to everyone who has read, favorited and followed this. If you're capable of doing that, I'm sure you can review as well. Even a single review will make me a happy man. Thanks for reading!**


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